Only The Strong Survive
by Syn'ri
Summary: A tournament is being held in an unknown place. The countestants are captured and pitted against each other. Each week they will battle. Each week, someone will die.


**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto, but I am currently working out a deal with Masashi Kishimoto. If I never visit his house again, he says he'll give me 1/450,000,000 percent of Naruto. Not much, and my name will never appear anywhere near official Naruto media, but it is something.

**AN:** Yes, I have started another Naruto story, and it is AU. I feel good about this one, so I hope it is not a flop. It has happened before *cough* Class Act *cough*. Hehehehe!

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Chapter 1: Where Am I?

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Lead was all she tasted in her chapped mouth with only a slight lingering copper taste that she had tasted many time before. Blood. Blood was the definite slight tingle that was so potent it was almost not even there, but why was she bleeding in her mouth.

She didn't remember much though she definitely didn't remember being attacked. She was just out picking some herbs and berries when everything went black. Though she did vaguely remember seeing a hazy mist unknown to her land briefly and cover her, but that was it.

She tried to sit up, but she found her body was tied to what almost felt like a cold concrete floor, and by the way the chain made a slight jerk from her when she moved it, she could guess whoever it was that obviously had her didn't want to give her all to much room to move.

And she didn't blame them because if she got even the slightest opening she'd attack full force. But right now none of that mattered because she could barely move, and she could see even less. At one point she thought her eyes were still closed, but as she continued to stare out she noticed that she could see some small insignificant things around.

She could even see the chains that were holding her down, and as she thought, there was not much room for her to do anything. She really couldn't wait to get out of there and find....wait! What was that she just saw? She could have sworn she just saw something move right in front of her?

Wait...there it was again. There was something in there with her, but from her perspective she couldn't tell if they were chained as well. Though she doubted it was since it seemed to jump spaces in her peripherals although she remained absolutely still.

If there was on thing her father taught her, it was to observe first. Then look for the strike, but she obviously wasn't striking anything with her arms the way they were. So she'd stick to observing.

She looked around for anymore movement when she saw and heard someone right in front of her. The person groaned as if they were also hit pretty hard, and she knew she was about to do the most stupid thing she had ever done and will probably ever do in her life. She gave away her position.

"I-is anyone t-there?" She said with the hesitance she was now feeling. She then heard a sharp gasp and a groan at the same time. What in the world? How was that even possible? Then it suddenly dawned on her suddenly.

There was more than just one other person there! That was why she kept seeing the obviously chained figures jump. Because there were other people chained in there as well, but the real question was...how many?

"H-hello, I k-know your t-there. P-please say s-something," she heard some shuffling noise as if someone had just sat down suddenly, and she grew a little apprehensive about ever saying anything.

"Yes, I am here, but I suggest you get some rest. You'll need it for what you will go through tomorrow. Trust me. If you don't listen to me now, tomorrow you'll wish you had," the voice said weakly. So, it was a boy, or a man. For it was too deep to be a regular female.

She laid there thinking. Maybe, it wasn't really wise to listen to a voice who she had meet in a cold damp place, but right then she didn't care because whatever she was hit with earlier was now making it's way back into her system.

"Rest easy for the journey you face will be more than difficult. I know from my own experience," the voice was soothing as it lulled her to sleep. It sounded young and masculine she decided.

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She woke again the next day with a sore back, or at least she thought it was the next day, but she couldn't tell since there was no light in the room. That was probably the single worst night of sleep she had ever had. Her back was throbbing while her head was on a whole different level.

She moved her hands around a little and found the chains were still there. She straightened her back when suddenly she heard another noise that seemed to be outside the room, and all of a sudden a door from her far right jerked slightly.

The girl watched in mild fascination as the door slowly creeped open. It seemed as if the only thing in there was her and the door, and that might be true since slowly the light behind the door began to reveal the room.

She was right. The floor was concrete and so where the walls. It all seemed to just come together and make the room seem off and distant, but something else she noticed was that the chains in front of her seemed to be freed of a particular person. Did she just dream him up or was he real?

She didn't have much time to think as the rest of the door was jerked open to reveal a man, or at least the outline of a man since the sudden fullness of the light blinded her. The door opened more and more until she saw the person fully.

She was right again. It was a man. A rather handsome man if she could conclude from the mask on his face. The man was tall and well built with silver hair which spiked ever which way, and if she had of met him before this incident, she'd say he was harmless. And on that she would most certainly be wrong.

"Hello miss. Would you please stand up? The others are waiting for you in a very special place, and I have been assigned to take you to meet them," She looked at the man crazy as he seemed to eye smile. What was wrong with him? He and his people had kidnapped her, yet he is trying to act like the perfect gentleman. He must be crazy.

The girl was tempted to say no, but she remembered what her father always said. Be attentive. Always study someone before you conclude on who they are, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

She looked at the man. Really looked at him. Not as a woman to a man, or a person to another person, but as a fighter to a possible threat. She scanned the man and noticed things she had overlooked while being aware of his awkward personality issues.

He had arms of a fighter. Nice and sculpted. He was tense which meant he was ready to use force if he must, and eyes she once thought only held a smile, held a hidden threat that she had overlooked. No, there was no way she could escape now. This man was tough, and she could tell he had more years of experience.

The man must have noticed her observation since he seemed to close his eye in a manner that almost infuriated her. Almost being the key word since her father told her to always keep a clear head, and never let anyone throw off your game.

The girl stood up slowly since her legs were half asleep, and jerked her body slightly since the chains only gave her minimum room to move. She glared at the chains and looked at the man who seemed to be walking over.

He slowly came over as if to provoke her as his eyes screamed of mischief. He then proceeded to snatch her chains slightly and unlock her as he stood back slightly in front of her as if telling her to try and attack him. She didn't move.

She knew she couldn't take him. He knew she couldn't take him. Not only was she tired and hungry and her back was killing her. This man seemed to be full of energy, and if she tried to attack, she'd probably be injured horribly. She'd have to wait until her energy got up. Then she'd try for it.

"Hmmmm, you'll go far in this game. You may even win. You know how to keep your wits about you. Which will help in the long run. Some of the others I am not sure. Especially the pink and blonde haired girls. They completely overreacted. Though the blonde did get a bite in," The man seemed to go off in his own world. Still tense and alert.

But the girl was still focused on some of the things the man said earlier, so she was right. Other people where here in this place, and they all seemed to be apart of some weird game. What kind of game she didn't know, but she knew she would have to find out.

"Here. I have to blindfold you to make sure you don't see where we are going. Not that you could get away since we are surrounded by....well, never mind. Just take my word for it. Don't try and escape," And she did take his word for it as he grabbed a black blindfold and put in on her head.

He then began leading her somewhere she was sure she didn't know. All the while she was still trying to sense for stuff outside the immediate walls, but found her senses didn't seem to stretch far enough for her to get a feel for the out side. It just seemed to drift further and further to nothingness.

They continued to walk for awhile, and she started to get antsy with the complete silence. It seemed to be too big of a place for them not to pass anyone as they walked, and it was too quiet for her liking. What was going on? Where was she?

The questions seemed to really hit her as they finally stopped. The man was still behind her, and she could feel his hands as they went to the blindfold and began undoing the knot in them. The blind fold fell off, and what she saw almost made her gasp.

There in front of her was a room filled with people that she didn't seem to know. The walls were wide and lengthy as they were the color of the deepest red that served to send a shiver down her spine when it's only light was dark candles nailed to the wall.

The floor was just as distant and cold as the one she had slept on with it being an almost thicker concrete, and the room was dim as the girl seemed to look around her more.

In front of her was a large podium, and sitting behind it was the seven scariest people she had ever seen. Even if they were all covered by a dark red hooded cloak. Though there seemed to be one figure that was singled out in the middle, and they by far gave off the scariest aura.

"GAKI, I see you have made it finally. We where beginning to think the Medmurder Gas we used on you had been too effective. We have been sending Kakashi here after you for an hour," The girl looked over and noticed she indicated towards the man who brought her there as he seemed to smirk.

The voice seemed allot more feminine than she thought it would be, but it didn't lighten her mood at all. She found the courage to look over to the row of young people all seeming to be chained to the wall. Some seemed to be furious; some had a look of hopelessness, but more often than not, indifference.

"GIRL," That got her attention as she then began focusing on the supposed woman in front of her," Do you know why you are here?"

She shook her head no hesitantly as she scanned the people in front of her, and the figure before her began to chuckle hollowly as the girl shrunk back with fear from the sudden chill that befell the room. What was she doing? She was in a strange room, with strange people, yet she had the time to daydream. Her father would be ashamed.

"Well, the reason you are here is simple," The woman paused to slowly move her head to look at the figures surrounding her;" You are here because you, Hyuuga Hinata, have been chosen to compete in a tournament."

Hinata looked quizzical, but she knew not to speak unless asked too. She could feel it, she could smell it. She could **taste** it. The power in the room was overwhelming her senses. Not just from the figures, but from the other people who seemed to be in her same situation.

"You have been chosen to compete with these 24 others here. Why were you chosen? Because you are the best at what you do. Fighting. Just like them. Different styles. Different techniques. One prize. To survive." This time it was a different figure to speak. This one was on the left of the middle figure, and voice seemed to hold more wisdom as he smoked his tobacco pipe.

The way they made it sound, Hinata was sure she didn't have a choice. They chose her. They meant it when they said this was a tournament of survival. If you didn't fight, you don't win; therefore, you don't survive.

"Every week there will be a section of the tournament. Every week someone will die. Here you will stay as you train to be the best and to win. Don't think about escape since we are on an uncharted island that can't be tracked by human means," Said the figure on the right of the probable leader. Directing what he was saying to everyone.

Hinata gasped as she realized that was the reason she couldn't sense anything outside the walls. It was water. Just pure water surrounding the place! She couldn't feel anything out side those walls because there was nothing to feel. She was trapped, and she wasn't the only one who realized that.

She looked over to the young people before her, and they all seemed to gasp as the figures before them began to laugh like maniacs. They were cruel beings. She could tell. They were going to make them fight for something that was rightfully theirs. Their freedom....their lives.

"While you train, you will each have a sensei of sorts who will train and hone your skills each week you are chosen to battle. You better listen to them, for we have given them permission to kill you on the spot if you don't! You must listen to them if you want to survive, and trust me, you do. Kakashi, bring them out." The middle figure spoke as Kakashi walked towards a black steel door. He unlocked it thoroughly and jerked the door open as five people walked out.

There were three men and two women that had opposite auras. Those five held auras that challenged Kakashi's own. Their auras made Hinata know that they had years of hard earned experience, and that they were not to be dealt with lightly.

Hinata was ready to attack anyone who came near her since her nerves were on the fritz from all the contrasting auras. Either that or she was ready to faint as one man from the line stepped forward.

He was tall with black hair and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He was wearing a green vest with a black shirt and some black slacks. While the other 'senseis' had an aura of authority, his was more relaxed yet at the same time he was on alert. Hinata wondered what he was doing when the man opened his mouth to speak.

"Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Yamanaka Ino, and Tayuya," was all the man said as he stepped forward and walked towards the young people. He walked up two black and brown headed boys and unlocked them from the wall. He then walked up to a blonde headed girl who looked pissed and a pink headed girl who looked ready to fight.

He unlocked them both, and when the pink headed one lunged for him, a sword came flying towards her as it barely missed her cheek. Slicing only a piece of her hair and her chin slightly.

Hinata was amazed and so were most of the other 'contestants'. The girl stopped and stark still as Hinata noticed that even though Tayuya was slightly out of a normal swords range, it seemed to extend to reach her.

Tayuya looked at her teammates and noticed while the blonde and the fat kid seemed surprised; the black headed kid looked as if he knew that there was something to be feared about this man. As if he had known not to mess with their 'sensei'.

Hinata watched the girl and the man closely as they seemed to have a staring contest. They were each looking into each others eyes as if to challenge. Brown clashed with brown as the girl seemed to blink and nod her head obediently. Almost as if he had gained her respect, and if Hinata could bet her freedom on it, she'd say that the girl wouldn't try that again.

"Now, you see that your senseis aren't just here for show. Asuma could have killed that girl instantly had he wanted. They are here to train you, and they could truthfully kill each one of you with little effort, so watch what you do....children," said a very malicious voice that had the hiss of a snake and the malice of a sinister being.

Another of the many figures surprised Hinata when he let out a hearty jubilant chuckle that put all of the contestants on high alert. This one seemed different from the others. He seemed approachable, but Hinata would never trust them as long as they held her captive.

"Always with the seriousness. The competition hasn't even begun yet. Stop scaring the little gakis. Loosen up," said the figure with another chuckle as Hinata looked around to see the shocked contestant faces.

"That's because it is serious you dolt! They are here to fight for their lives. I don't even know why they put you on the counsel when you're always writing you disgusting novels," There was suddenly a sharp grunt from the middle figure as the two figures were instantly silenced.

Hinata thought the woman would reprimand them, but she only gave the senseis a smalls indicating of her head as one of them woman stepped up, and Hinata suddenly noticed that the name by the name of Asuma was just leaning to the side as his students obediently stood there. Though she could feel the anger coming off of the blonde girl.

Hinata dismissed her as she looked forward only to instantly wish this woman was no where near her sensei. The woman gave off the same aura as one of the counsel men. Only she seemed to be less tamed and more slightly more aggressive. Hinata was instantly wary of the woman.

The woman was medium sized with a sleek and athletic build. She had purple hair which was in a ponytail that covered most of the back of her head with hair covering the sides of her head. Her eyes were light brown and pupiless with a very arrogant look of them as she looked them over. The woman smirked as she smoothed out her long tan jacket that covered her fishnet shirt and her white and black shorts. She said four names of the most unlucky people Hinata would ever know.

"Haku, Tsuchi Kin, Kaguya Kimimaro, and Abumi Zaku," Hinata knew she wouldn't want to go any where near that team. Not only because of the sensei, but also because the students themselves seemed none too friendly. The only one she's probably even go near is the boy with long hair.

The moved right along as another sensei jumped out of no where and gave a freakish smile. The man had a bowl cut hair style and all green spandex all over him. He had extra large eyebrows and regular eyes, and he seemed to keep a smile as he addressed the other senseis.

"Good choices Anko-chan. Hmmmmm, these young ones have potential, but not as much as my team! KAKASHI, I SHALL NOT LOSE THIS YEAR," Everyone gave a startled gasp as the middle counsel man brought attention towards herself.

"GAI, what have I told you. This is a serious matter. There is not competition between you and Kakashi. This is a competition between the competitors, so GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR," Gai seemed unfazed as he struck a pose that almost made Hinata sweat drop. Almost, but one of the names he called did have her head snapping to attention.

"Baruka Tenten, Rock Lee, Neji Hyuuga, and Kinuta Dosu," Gai said as Hinata snapped her head to look at her cousin. He just stared at her as he was let out of his shackles. His eyes were dead.

This is where he had been. She had heard he'd gone missing a year ago, and she was one of the most faithful to look for him. Her best friend and her cousin had suddenly disappeared, and to see him like this made her hate these guys even more.

She didn't take her eyes off her cousin as she distantly saw another man step up. She didn't look at his features. She studied nothing but her cousin. At first he was determined to show her no emotion until he saw tears appear at the corner of her eyes, and they were for him. He gave her a small smile that didn't reach his eyes and a small nod as if to say they would talk later. Hinata smiled as her eyes twinkled with unshed tears as she heard the names called.

"Sabaku no Gaara, Sabaku no Temari, Sabaku no Kankurou, and Kidomaru," She watched cautiously as a red head grabbed her attention. There was something not right about him. He was competition. Serious competition and she could see herself fighting him. She could also see herself dying.

Kakashi stepped forward and her interest peeked, so he was one of the senseis. If she had to fight one of his students, she'd have to watch her back. She could tell once he was down, they'd be none too easy to beat.

"Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Sai," He said as a shock wave of blonde and pink crashed upon her. She vaguely noticed the resemblance of the other two boys as her eyes clashed with the blue eyes of the blonde. They were like Neji's, but his eye seemed to hold...determination. A throat was cleared, and she looked over to see only one woman and three other people were left. Meaning this was her team.

Hinata looked the woman and thought she got the best prospect out of a prospect of horror. The woman had long black hair with red lipstick and cold red eyes. She was taller than the previous woman, and she wore a dress of white and red. Hinata could feel motherly warmth from the woman that was masked by her scowl.

She unlocked Hinata's four teammates and gave Hinata a look that told her to move. Hinata did as mentally ask and moved swiftly to the woman. Hinata stood towards her team looking distinctly out of place in the mass of boys as the middle councilman spoke.

"The game will begin soon, and it won't be a joke. One week of training, and next week, the first battle will begin. You will not know who is battling who until the day you are commissioned. You will fight in an arena. You will fight to kill. Also, beware there are some around you that have been through this before. Some how they managed to survive their first go round, but they might not be so lucky this time. This is a game of skill, but also a game of wits. Only the strong shall survive."

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This story has been sitting on my shelf FOREVER. You know who is who and I know you probably got bored with the names and stuff, but it had to happen. The action will begin next chapter. Hinata will not be the only to narrate, so yeah. READ AND REVIEW.....please, and you might see counsel men or counsel men, or maybe councilman, it was a editing prob.


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